Aubrey's Rise of the Runelords campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

As a transmuter, her forbidden schools are evocation and necromancy. As a multi-class wizard, I don’t want her to take a familiar. With Aubrey’s permission, she will take the Immediate Magic alternate class feature from PHB2 – as a transmuter this allows her to make a minor change to her form (3/day) which gives her a climb, fly or swim speed for 1 round, equal to her current land speed.

Fine with that.

Just to remind you, I am in Singapore on business next week. As before, I will try to keep things running but we shall see. I will be lurking with my blackberry though, at the very least.

We need to finalize the Party shopping list.
94 gp each buys 1 CLW wand.
188 gp each will get us 2 CLW wands.
What are we doing and who is gonna carry it/them?

I wanna know so I can deduct the gold and go shopping myself before we get thrown into combat.

Lo'j will gladdly pay his share of the 188gp, he will also offer loans to anyone in the party who needs some cash. 10% weekly interest, non-compounding.

Oh, and how is Gurney? can I assume he survived long enough to receive Alwyn's promised healing?

We need to finalize the Party shopping list.

94 gp each buys 1 CLW wand.
188 gp each will get us 2 CLW wands.
What are we doing and who is gonna carry it/them?

I wanna know so I can deduct the gold and go shopping myself before we get thrown into combat.

WHAT? 188gp does NOT buy two wands of CLW. A wand costs 750gp. Or am I going mad?

Gurney is alive, though a little battered.

Fake Healer wrote:

We need to finalize the Party shopping list.

94 gp each buys 1 CLW wand.
188 gp each will get us 2 CLW wands.
What are we doing and who is gonna carry it/them?

I wanna know so I can deduct the gold and go shopping myself before we get thrown into combat.

WHAT? 188gp does NOT buy two wands of CLW. A wand costs 750gp. Or am I going mad?

188gp x 8 people = 1504gp

I'm all for 2 of them.

188gp x 8 people = 1504gp

Ah, fine - RTFP.

Me too - one for Illes and one for Elisile, as they'll be zipping around on the outskirts of the melee fighting. Or, if we want to buy three, we'll give one to Dravite or me as well.

We need everybody to chime in today on the wand question.
Briefly, if we do 94 gp each, we can get a clw wand; double that sum and get 2.

I'm for buying 2 of them, one for Alwyn, and one for one of the support types in a fight.
If you want 2, say so; just one, say so; none and I'll see if the rest one to kick in for at least one clw wand.

Double the healing is always good. I'm fine with going in on both. Other than that I'll probably masterwork something and have enough coins to live in a flashy manner for a short time. Or get practical and grab a couple one shot items. Anyway- yes consider me down for 188 on the wands.

Okay- 188 for wands, 320 for MW rapier, selling my old rapier back for half price and I have a little less than 27 gold left over. Living in luxury. : )

I'm in for 1 wand.

Even then... it really smacks of metagaming. We all barely know each other. I'll be more interested in buying party gear when the party actually becomes a party, and not just "a group of random people throw together by circumstance."
Heck... Larken doesn't even like a few of the party.

I'll pony up another 84 to cover larkens disinterest, and round us out at exactly 1500

On another note... I haven't gotten the impression that the clerics in this town are all that high-level. Do they even have 2 CLW wands for sale? Heck... can they even make wands at all?
Sandpoint is not the big city.
We're making some assumptions about magic item availablility here.

Larken would like to see if he can purchase 3 CLW potions and a potion belt in this little town. He'll check at the Cathedral first, then ask around town (which he'll probably have to do for the belt.) If he can't find a ready-made one, he'll talk to the leatherworker about having one made.
That will likely be the extent of his purchases at this time.

a thought, might be better to get 1 full wand and 2 with 25 charges if available...

same cost, more flexibility

I've chipped in my 188gp. I think I'm gonna pick up a scroll or three with my remaining cash.

EDIT: Purchased a scroll case and the following scrolls - grease (25gp), cause fear (25gp), and ghoul touch (150gp).

Okay. Fakey, Me, Dragonmann, Ithuriel, Fatey, and I assume Vatnisse are in for 2. If Mothmeister is in for two, that's about 214 gold each; if not for the previous 6, that's 250 g.p. each. Waiting on Mothmeister; he'll prolly chime in in 6-8 hours, as he's in Australia.
I assume, Stunty, that you're not in for any healing wands, from your last post on the issue.

Look. I know this "smacks of metagaming." I'm just getting the damn idea in line here in the discussion thread. THEN, we can roleplay it until we're blue in the face. It's rather difficult to tag up with 8 different people on a message board to see if they all want to chip in for a wand.

I said I was in for 1.
I think 2 or 3 is excessive at this point, so even if I didn't have issue with buying stuff together at this point, I'd still be in for 1.

And you've misunderstood (or my definition of metagaming is different).
I'm not sweating dealing with "who's in for what" in an OOC manner. That's fine, and seems to be necessary in a PbP format.
Nah... the part that bothers me is that our characters have interacted for a day, know next to nothing about each other, and are planning on acquiring community property.
As a player, I know that Larken's not going anywhere, but at this point in the adventure Larken isn't sure that he's going to hang out here much past the Sheriff's return. There's nothing holding him in place. I'm assuming that that will change in the course of the adventure, and he'll form attachments to the group. They're just not there yet.
It's a matter of "we as players see the need for this thing, even though there's no real reason for our characters to be doing it yet."
But it is what it is. I wasn't planning on raising a stink about it.
I voiced what I thought was a valid concern, agreed to kick in and planned to let it go.

Then I had to defend my statement.
meh.

On another note... I haven't gotten the impression that the clerics in this town are all that high-level. Do they even have 2 CLW wands for sale? Heck... can they even make wands at all?

Sandpoint is not the big city.
We're making some assumptions about magic item availablility here.

You can get two wands. I hear what Stunty says and he has a point, but on the other hand there are a few groups forming up here - sub-groups if you will. One is the Dravite-Hudak-Alwyn-Elisile axis, and the other is Illes and Vethran. Lo'j and Larken are less bonded by circumstance to the rest of the party at the moment, though Lo'j is bonded to the town through his cousin the mayor. You have been asked to look after the place and have accepted (more or less) so a bit of pooling resources isn't unreasonable.

That said, personally, I'd buy one wand and have more other stuff - the set-up here is less deadly than my Eberron campaign (JJ seems a kinder DM than me in terms of ELs) and there are eight of you, which is a lot of muscle. Having levelled, you have reduced your vulnerability a lot.

It is up to you how you spend your cash, so I am just saying. It certainly isn't a bad choice to load upon healing.

Off the topic of the wand business, I've got a couple of questions for Aubrey:

As level 3 is certainly drawing near, did you ever make a final decision on whether or not you're willing to allow the Fiery Burst reserve feat? It's your game. Your decision isn't going to bother me regardless of which way you decide, but it does fit the character and provides me something to do besides shred through my spell list in the first encounter of the day (as we've already seen).

Also, I believe you had already commented on this, but were you okay with the Master Specialist PrC from the Complete Mage? I was planning on taking my first level of it at level 4 and wanted to know if I should start building myself in that direction or not. Thanks!

So how much do I need to chip-in? I got some shoppin' to do.

As level 3 is certainly drawing near -

Well, it's actually 2,000xp away, but I take your point

- did you ever make a final decision on whether or not you're willing to allow the Fiery Burst reserve feat?

Yes, you can take it. I noticed that you didn't have much to do in the second encounter (though you certainly made an impact in the first!).

Also, I believe you had already commented on this, but were you okay with the Master Specialist PrC from the Complete Mage? I was planning on taking my first level of it at level 4 and wanted to know if I should start building myself in that direction or not.

Yes, you can take that too. You become a fire damage monster, but I can live with that. Players dealing mass death to mooks is fun to watch, anyway - that's what mooks are for.

Okay. 1,500 g.p. for two wands. -94 for Stunty is 1,406 g.p. by 7 people. Everybody else kick in 200g.p. 9 s.p. for this plan. Agreed?

I'm in.

I also picked up 2 clw potions and replaced my Hide shirt with a MW Hide Shirt. Sheet is updated.

Me too. Sheet adjusted. You are right about the metagaming of course Stunty and it was my 1st impression too (Buy what now? I barely know you guys!), but Paizo's adventure paths have been known to exact a high death toll in many instances. We do have a leg up in numbers, but I assume Aubrey will even that out in key encounters.

So just justify it IC. Someone make a case for this plan of action to cover for the worst case scenario. We can heal all the dogs and townsfolk if anything should happen... We make a deal through the mayor to sell one or both of the wands off to the city/temple if they go unused for remaining value or close to it. Then if the party breaks individuals get that share of the reward back and the town has invested in emergency control. It's a thought anyway.

So yes- this subject should come up in the IC thread in front of the mayor so we can secure that arrangement. Illes won't be the one suggesting it and will need to be convinced along the same lines as Larken, but OOC I think it is a great idea and we may need it. Lo'j should like a good candidate to make the pitch being as he is a leader type and has connections in the city.

And you've misunderstood (or my definition of metagaming is different).

I'm not sweating dealing with "who's in for what" in an OOC manner. That's fine, and seems to be necessary in a PbP format.
Nah... the part that bothers me is that our characters have interacted for a day, know next to nothing about each other, and are planning on acquiring community property.

After a few days to recover, the heroes of the town are summoned to a meeting of in the mayor's office by Sheriff Hemlock. On arrival, you find the Sheriff, Mayor Deverin and a rustic-looking elf woman dressed in travel-stained leather armour and with a bow and sword propped against the table where he sits.

I kind of assumed we were probably jockeyed arouind together over the course of the intervening days, going to this dinner or that party all together. Collectively, I think we had enough time to feel each other out enough to not have this be unreasonable.

Then again, Lo'j did offer loans with interest, so he ain't claiming friendship yet...

Just coughed up 201 gold.

Yeah, it’s meta gaming … but it makes a certain sort of sense.

From Elisile’s point of view / justification; she’s accepted that, for now at least, this is where she’s meant to be and what she’s meant to be doing, much as hanging out with a bunch of noisy humans (and a dwarf) isn’t what she’d prefer to be doing.

In the two fights the group has had so far, three up her companions have gone down like chumps. Much as she’s an individualist, she sees the benefit in performing strongly as a group, and anything that keeps her companions standing and fighting helps her.

She’s bewildered at the amount of gold she was gifted by the town for killing a few goblins – she believes it could have been better spent – by spending money on these wands, she is in a way contributing back into the community (by keeping it’s new defenders healthy and fighting). If the group splits and goes their separate ways after a few weeks, she does not see the spent gold as a loss, and will not demand a “share” of the wand – to her mind it would be best gifted back to the community at that point.

So – assuming the wands are available, she will chip in the 201gp – and probably pick up a comp longbow with the change.

All in; the 2 clw wands bought; everybody go shopping!!!

Its funny, Heathy. In the last post on the game thread I just picture Hudak and Dravite walking down the street, joking and picking on each other, and getting a strong bond going, like in the stories where 2 dudes seem like enemies but will go through hell itself to save each other. Kinda Flint and Tasslehoff only cooler.

I see it like The Thing and The Human Torch from the old Fantastic Four's--Johnny Storm would constantly bait Ben Grimm into this amok frenzy, and then ole rockhead would be throwing a couch at him, and Reed Richards would wrap up the Thing, and Sue Storm would throw an invisible force field around Johnny Storm before the carpet caught on fire...

I also remember there was this Cops episode from Orlando...these two brothers from out in the country were arguing in the bar, and went outside and started beating the tars@*t out of one another, and the cops came up and they're "oh, no, I love heeyum.. Hays mah brother. We's jest argewin lake bruthers err prone tuh..." And the cops are like, "that's all fine and dandy, but you can't do that s!%~ in the middle of Orlando."

In the two fights the group has had so far, three up her companions have gone down like chumps. Much as she’s an individualist, she sees the benefit in performing strongly as a group, and anything that keeps her companions standing and fighting helps her.

Two. I never went down! ;P

Its funny, Heathy. In the last post on the game thread I just picture Hudak and Dravite walking down the street, joking and picking on each other, and getting a strong bond going, like in the stories where 2 dudes seem like enemies but will go through hell itself to save each other. Kinda Flint and Tasslehoff only cooler.

Hmmm... Which one of you gets to be Tasslehoff?

All in; the 2 clw wands bought; everybody go shopping!!!

Sold my chainshirt and bought a set of mwk banded mail. Helped my AC a bit.

I bought a masterwork bastard sword, and 5 vials of harpy musk!!!

Hey, Dragonmann, maybe you should see if you could give up some of your Marshal stuff to give you the progressing ability of an animal companion like a druid has but only for Gurney. He is cool and I would like to see him stick around for a bit without him dying in a fireball.

Hey, Dragonmann, maybe you should see if you could give up some of your Marshal stuff to give you the progressing ability of an animal companion like a druid has but only for Gurney. He is cool and I would like to see him stick around for a bit without him dying in a fireball.

It a thought, but marshalls don't have much to give up.

Maybe we could work out a mechanic for him to gain hit dice, like he was advancing. Not quite as good, nor should it be.

hmm, dogs seem to have d8 hit dice, full attack bonus, 3(8-5 for int) skill points per level, and good fort and reflex saves.

Would it be too much to ask for the dog to stay 2 levels below me like a cohort?

Damn you city slickers and your nepotismic ways! Just kidding.

Fake Healer wrote:

Hey, Dragonmann, maybe you should see if you could give up some of your Marshal stuff to give you the progressing ability of an animal companion like a druid has but only for Gurney. He is cool and I would like to see him stick around for a bit without him dying in a fireball.

It a thought, but marshalls don't have much to give up.

Maybe we could work out a mechanic for him to gain hit dice, like he was advancing. Not quite as good, nor should it be.

It would be cool and maybe just defensive feats when he gains feats, or evasion and stuff to help keep him alive. Maybe a feat for you to take called "Animal Trainer" that allows that mechanic.

Dragonmann wrote:

Fake Healer wrote:

Hey, Dragonmann, maybe you should see if you could give up some of your Marshal stuff to give you the progressing ability of an animal companion like a druid has but only for Gurney. He is cool and I would like to see him stick around for a bit without him dying in a fireball.

It a thought, but marshalls don't have much to give up.

Maybe we could work out a mechanic for him to gain hit dice, like he was advancing. Not quite as good, nor should it be.

It would be cool and maybe just defensive feats when he gains feats, or evasion and stuff to help keep him alive. Maybe a feat for you to take called "Animal Trainer" that allows that mechanic.

Just some thoughts.

Well, it is way less threatening than me taking leadership at level 6. A marshall can do bad things with cohorts and followers...

Hell, it is a guard dog, alertness, followed by toughness over and over would be sufficient for me for advancement.

Sorry to stall on the tavern scene, but I wasn't sure how I wanted to approach that and missed my window of free time. I'll get something up late tonight or tomorrow afternoon Greece time. If you want to move on in the meantime that is fine and I'll just go with the Gather Info checks.

Just a heads up guys, it is a public holiday here on Monday, so I may not get a chance to post till Tuesday. I’ll try to check the boards (and post if I can) over the weekend some time, but no guarantee.

Good post, Ith! Dravite fell for it hard!

Good post, Ith! Dravite fell for it hard!

Yeah, it'll be fun to see how this duality works out. You've got the brazen, outgoing, muscial Illes......... and his cousin Vethran, the brooding pyromaniac.

Sorry I was not about yesterday - I was on a training course about how to cope in the event of a major incident, like a terrorist attack. The main message is you can't do much except kiss your derierre goodbye, so I feel really great. But it also made it difficult to get to a computer.

Re Gurney and his ongoing inclusion/survival....

Make a suggestion, and we can start a discussion on what might be appropriate. The easiest thing to do would be using feats. Also, consider the druid v the marshall and see where we go from there. The marshall, on a quick consideration, seems considerably less powerful than a druid, so a feat and maybe a slightly slower animal companion progression might be a appropriate. Thoughts from the gathered luminaries taking part in the this campaign?

On an entirely separate subject, I am going to Singapore on business. I should be able to post, either from the office or a web cafe in the evening. I might be a bit quiet on Sunday and Monday, but with time difference that might only be particularly apparent to Ithuriel. I have a selection of books with me (the scenario and the core three) so we should be able to rock and roll again once I'm there. However, the week after I will be on holiday - I can gurantee I will not be posting at all that week.